MedStar Washington Hospital Center uses the ARMUS by Health Catalyst™ for Hospitals suite to improve its performance in researching, diagnosing, and treating cardiovascular disease by harvesting and preparing data and submitting it to the STS National Database. This has led to improved patient outcomes, including reduced ventilation time after cardiovascular surgery, achieved through the implementation of evidence-based practices. As a result, MedStar Washington has consistently earned the highest quality ratings from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, establishing itself as one of the top surgical heart programs in the nation.
MedStar Washington Hospital Center (MedStar Washington), a national leader in researching, diagnosing, and treating cardiovascular disease, continually works to improve performance. Its extensive data quality system is key to ongoing improvement.
As part of its robust quality improvement, MedStar Washington uses the ARMUS by Health Catalyst™ for Hospitals suite to harvest and prepare data, validate data quality, and directly submit data to the STS National Database (STS).
MedStar Washington uses comparative reports, including the ratio of observed to expected (O/E) performance rates, to facilitate learning, accurately identify improvement opportunities, support clinical transformation, and monitor areas where the organization has sustained high performance. For example, MedStar Washington identified an opportunity to decrease prolonged ventilation time. Interdisciplinary teams implemented the latest evidence-based practices to reduce patients' post-cardiovascular surgery ventilator time, safely extubating most patients in less than six hours after surgery.
Using ARMUS, MedStar Washington easily submits data to STS and uses its data for continuous improvement. The cardiac surgery programs consistently earn the highest quality ratings from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, placing MedStar Washington among the top surgical heart programs nationwide.
"Quality data from ARMUS and our STS ratings are crucial because they serve as benchmarks of excellence, driving continuous improvement."
Leanne McKenna, BSN, RN, Clinical Quality & Data Registry Manager, MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute
